


Young God

by Ischa



Series: Young Gods [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman - All Media Types, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Amnesia, Bisexuality, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Mutant Powers, Secret Identity, Training, Vigilantism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 06:25:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12248802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ischa/pseuds/Ischa
Summary: This is a companion piece to 'But you're human tonight' and tells the story how Bruce fell in love with Clark. Again. Or maybe how Clark fell in love with Bruce for the first time.“That’s months from – that’s more than seven months, Mister Wayne.”Bruce took a breath. “I know,” he said. “I’ll get a doctor.”Sudden panic overcame Clark, watching Bruce leave. It was irrational, it was stupid. He didn’t know the man. He had seen him once at a party- some library thing or other.He was about to say something, reach out maybe, but then Bruce Wayne was gone and the door was closed and Clark was alone with his thoughts and seven months of blank space in his head.





	Young God

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Halsey  
>  **[Now with lovely ART](http://lovelastart.tumblr.com/post/172372650997/i-think-you-could-be-a-symbol-of-hope-clark) **

~One~  
Clark woke up in a hospital room. He could not remember why or how he got there. 

“Clark?” Someone asked and Clark looked in that direction. For a second Clark didn’t know if he was hallucinating or not, because there in a crappy chair sat Bruce Wayne. As in the owner of Wayne Enterprises . What the hell was he doing here, watching Clark sleep? 

“What the hell?” he asked, and tried to sit up but that turned out to be a very bad idea. His head hurt something fierce. 

“How are you feeling, Clark?” 

“Like a train fell on my head,” Clark replied. Then blinked. Why was Bruce Wayne so familiar with him. Also: Why was Bruce Wayne here? 

“Understandable. Your mother said she will be here as soon as possible, I offered her the private jet. Alfred will pick her up at the airport,” Bruce Wayne said. 

“Thank you Mister Wayne,” Clark said. 

Bruce Wayne looked at him sharply. “Mister Wayne?” 

“I – yes?” Clark said. 

“Clark, what is the last thing you remember?” Bruce Wayne asked, his eyes were very intense and Clark wanted to shrink away from them. Bury his head under the blanket and wait until Mister Wayne left the room, the hospital, the city. 

“I was on my way to the office I think? I just ordered a coffee and then nothing. Until I woke up here.” 

“I see,” Bruce Wayne said, and leaned away from him. “You know what day it is?” 

Clark frowned, “Depends on how long I was out?” 

“Only a few hours,” Bruce Wayne replied. “And I really should call your mother and tell a nurse or doctor that you are awake.” He got up and was on the way to the door and something about the broadness of Bruce Wayne’s shoulders – something, tugged at Clark. 

“Wait!”

“Yes?” Bruce said. He hadn’t turned around fully, so Clark could only see his profile. 

“What day is it?”  
Bruce didn’t answer immediately. In fact the pause was so long that Clark feared he wouldn’t answer the question at all. When he did Clark swallowed.  
“That’s months from – that’s more than seven months, Mister Wayne.” 

Bruce took a breath. “I know,” he said. “I’ll get a doctor.” 

Sudden panic overcame Clark, watching Bruce leave. It was irrational, it was stupid. He didn’t know the man. He had seen him once at a party- some library thing or other.  
He was about to say something, reach out maybe, but then Bruce Wayne was gone and the door was closed and Clark was alone with his thoughts and seven months of blank space in his head. 

~+~  
There were text messages from Bruce Wayne on his phone. There were pictures. Intimate pictures. Domestic pictures. Not many, but enough. Enough to be sure that Clark Kent, farm-boy from Smallville, had been friends, most likely more, with Bruce Wayne, Prince and playboy billionaire of Gotham. How did that even happen? 

“Ma,” Clark said, it was late, but somehow he could only call her with things like this when it was late, when it was dark, when he didn’t have to face all these things in the light of day. 

“Clark, I was wondering when you would call to talk about Bruce.” 

Had he been so transparent? With just one word. “I – he said we knew each other, that first day in the hospital. But we were friends, I mean-“

“You were more than just friends,” his mom said. “I admit, it had been strange for me the first time you told me he was your lover, and you used that word, Clark, not in a sexual way, but as the person you loved. I was happy for you, don’t get me wrong, I just – you never even hinted at liking boys as well when you grew up, you know?”

Clark nodded, remembered that his mom couldn’t see him and said, “Yes. I understand. And we were happy?” 

“Yes, Clark, you were. Like you had been with Lois before,” Mom said. “He’s such a nice man, Clark.”

“I – I can’t remember any of this,” Clark said frustrated. But was that the whole truth? Sometimes when he looked at a picture of Bruce, at his kitchen table, he had – a flash of something, but it was too fast to catch it and he felt unbalanced and bereft afterward. He had loved Bruce Wayne and he couldn’t remember any of it. How was that possible? 

“I know. I am so sorry, for the both of you,” Mom said. 

“How did we even meet?” 

Mom laughed, but he could hear the hitch in her voice too. “Let me tell you that story, my son. “ And she did. 

Once he said goodnight he sat down on his kitchen chair and stared at the wall. He had been in love with Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne had been in love with him. Bruce Wayne hadn’t tried to contact him since he said his goodbyes at the hospital the day Clark had woken up. 

Clark looked down at his phone. Bruce Wayne’s number was in his contacts. In fact it was the second one on his speed dial. His first was mom, then Bruce, then Lois, then work, then a restaurant he had never heard off before – but apparently they knew Bruce’s order there. Because Clark had ordered food for both of them there. Often.  
He had a life with Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne didn’t bother to contact him again. 

He grabbed his phone and pressed call. It went to voicemail. For a second he was thinking of just hanging up, but then he didn’t.  
“It’s Clark, obviously. I think we should talk. Please call me back.”  
He sighed once he got the words out. The ball was in Bruce’s court now.  
He had to go pack, because he had to report on the particle accelerator in Central City in two days. It was a big thing after all. And Clark was interested in the subject as well. Lois had waved it away, so Clark got it. He was pretty sure they gave him the easy assignments because he had been in the hospital again. And because he couldn’t fucking remember the last seven months of his life. But he was still a reporter, he had read up on world events and he was up to date again.  
He could do a fluffy science piece on the particle accelerator and the man who build it: Harrison Wells.  
Everything else would have to wait until he was back from Central City. 

~+~  
Clark cursed as he got up from the ground. For a second he didn’t know what had happened and then it all came back. The hyped particle accelerator had exploded. Clark had been thrown to the ground by the blast. His hands were chafed and his head hurt like crazy, but he thought, otherwise he was okay. He could hear sirens, coming closer. This would not end up to be a fluff piece after all. Clark was pretty sure that there were fatal causalities. His phone started ringing then and he grabbed it without looking at the caller ID. It was mom. 

“I’m fine, I wasn’t that close. I was running late,” Clark said into the phone. It took him another ten minutes to assure her that he was okay and then he sent a text to Lois and Perry, to let them know he was alright. He was still sitting on the ground and his head was still hurting like crazy. He needed to get to the scene, take a few pictures, if nothing else and then find a drug store to get something for this awful headache.  
He got up from the ground carefully and then started walking in the direction of Star Labs. 

~+~  
Clark fell into bed in his hotel room once he had had some food and painkillers in his system and didn’t wake up until the next afternoon. He was feeling a lot better, his head wasn’t hurting and he was starving. That had to be a good sign. The explosion at Star Labs was on every channel, so he switched the TV off. It was still too fresh. He had been right: people died at Star Labs yesterday, and Clark could have been one of them. 

He showered, dressed and went down to the hotel restaurant to get some breakfast. Once he had eaten and was drinking his coffee, he dealt with his mails and text messages.  
There was one from Bruce Wayne: I’m glad you are alright. I called your mother. I think you were right. We should talk.  
Bruce Wayne was talking to Clark’s mother like that was normal. He didn’t know if he would ever get used to it. It would be hardly fair to demand from them both they’d stopped.  
‘I’m taking the next train to Metropolis tomorrow. I want to talk with a few people about what happened here. Are you free on Friday?’ Clark wrote back and hoped it didn’t sound like a date.  
Bruce Wayne didn’t reply immediately, but Clark hadn’t expected that. He finished his coffee, grabbed his things and left the hotel for Star Labs.  
There would be a statement and explanations, and Clark wanted to use that opportunity to talk to people. 

~+~  
He was tired like hell once he got home to Metropolis. Bruce Wayne had answered his text and they were going to meet this Friday at a restaurant in the city.  
Clark didn’t want to think about it, but couldn’t stop himself from thinking about it either.  
There had been a gay couple on the train with him and he had looked at them and wondered– he had never really thought about gay people before, he had never really thought about himself in that context either. But he had to face the facts: he had been with Bruce Wayne, he had kissed Bruce Wayne – there was photographic evidence on his phone of that, and a half naked Bruce Wayne in a bed that wasn’t Clark’s. He had kept all those pictures too, and couldn’t even say why he did it. 

Sometimes when he woke up in the middle of the night he reached out instinctively and was confused for a split second that there wasn't anyone there: lying beside him. He could have been thinking about Lois, he rationalized. But it didn't feel like Lois. Whatever the hell that meant. He knew he had slept with Bruce Wayne, he knew he had slept beside the man, because that's what lovers did.  
It was messing with Clark's head.  
He couldn’t even imagine what it did to Bruce Wayne. 

~+~  
Clark had looked the restaurant up beforehand because he didn't want to embarrassed anyone, especially himself. He was nervous about the meeting with Bruce Wayne. He wondered why he had been dating the man. His reputation was horrible. Love them and leave them. And even if Clark could be put in the same box as the pretty models at least ten years younger than Bruce – still. He shook it off as he waited. He was early, but he couldn’t stand pacing his apartment anymore. 

“I knew you would be early,” Bruce Wayne said and Clark looked up from the menu he had been obsessing about, without anything better to do. 

“I -,” the first impulse was to ask how Bruce Wayne had known, but then the realization hit him like a brick to the head: Bruce Wayne knew him. Like Lois knew him. Like not many people knew him. 

Bruce Wayne smiled. “Relax. I know this is weird for you.” 

Clark huffed, putting the menu aside. “And it's not weird for you? I don't know you. I mean-” it had sounded so harsh, fuck, Clark thought. 

Bruce took a chair and looked at Clark. “It is. Did you already decide on something?” 

Clark nodded and Bruce signaled the waiter. They ordered and Clark waited for Bruce Wayne to say something, but he just looked at Clark. Up close his eyes were a very nice blue. And his lips – Clark stopped right there, because he wasn't going to think about Bruce Wayne's lips. 

“You wanted to talk?” Bruce asked, once the waiter brought their drinks. 

“Yes, I – I found pictures on my phone. Of you and me, and you and me, if you know what I mean.”

Bruce smiled: it was a small smile, but Clark liked it. “I know what you mean, Clark. I was wondering when you would find them. I – didn’t know how to tell you that we had been dating that day at the hospital. You didn’t know who I was.”

“Well, I knew who you were, I just didn’t know that we were – close,” Clark said. 

“And I didn’t think it would have been a good idea to spring that on you. You seemed freaked out enough about it all as it was,” Bruce replied. 

Clark nodded. “I talked to my mom. She said that I have been happy with you.” 

Bruce leaned back in his chair, took a sip of his scotch. “I like to think so.” 

Clark swallowed. “She told me how we met too. I – I don’t,” he stopped, ran a hand through his hair and looked away from Bruce’s face. “I never considered myself as anything than straight, so I just can’t wrap my head around why I’ve been with you.”

“I asked you out, you said yes,” Bruce said. But there was something in his voice, Clark couldn’t even explain why or how he knew, but somehow he knew that wasn’t the truth or not the whole truth. “And we took it from there,” Bruce finished just as the waiter came with their food. “I realize, that you aren’t the man I have been dating for the last seven months, Clark. I don’t hold it against you. I don’t expect anything either.”

Clark looked at him sharply. He wanted to ask Bruce why he was giving up so easily, but – did he even want all this? This entanglement? This questioning of who he was? He was a grown man. His life was good the way it was now. He was over Lois, he was ready to throw himself into a new adventure and he hadn’t even thought that this adventure would be with a man, or that this man would be Bruce Wayne. Clark didn’t think they could work. He just didn’t understand how they ended up together in the first place. It was baffling. And every little fiber in his body told him that Bruce Wayne wasn’t telling him the whole truth about their first meeting, about them getting together, about them being a couple.  
Clark wasn’t sure he wanted to know it anyway.  
“I see,” Clark said eventually. “I’m sorry.”

Bruce nodded and started eating. 

Clark felt awkward and he wasn’t really hungry, but it would be rude to leave now. He started eating then, following Bruce’s example. The food was excellent. 

When they were nearly done, Bruce looked at him again. “You have things at my place, I will send them over soon.”

Why hadn’t he done that before, Clark wondered and then slapped himself mentally. For the same reason Clark hadn’t sent Lois things back to her straightaway, because he had hoped they would work things out somehow. 

He thought back to his apartment, he didn’t think there were any things Bruce had left. “I – didn’t see any of your things at my place,” he said. 

Bruce smiled. “Maybe you did, and thought you bought them in the last seven months?” 

There were a few items he hadn’t recognized. They were nearly the same height. “I’ll look for them.”

“No need, Clark. I hardly left anything at your place and the new clothes, I bought them for you and I don’t want them back.” 

Clark nodded. “Okay.”

Bruce finished his food and signaled the waiter. “If you don’t have any more questions, I would like you to not contact me again, Clark.” 

“I-“

“Seeing you and knowing you don’t know me, and don’t care, I – I’m not a masochist, I don’t need that in my life right now. If you should remember…” he trailed off. 

Clark nodded. “I understand.”

“Thank you. Good bye, Clark,” Bruce said, paid the check, left a good tip and took his leave. 

A part of Clark didn’t like how final that sounded. 

~Two~  
Clark woke up hovering over his bed. He was in midair. He blinked and fell down at least five feet onto his mattress.  
His breath was coming too hard and his heart was beating too fast and he was definitely freaked out now. He took a slow breath and tried to calm down. His hand curled around the bed-frame and he heard it splinter. He leaped out of bed and pressed his back against the wall.  
Things were definitely not normal.  
He needed to calm down. Find that zen place inside him. Clark concentrated on his breathing and didn’t touch a goddamned thing until he felt calm again. Then he went to the kitchen and made coffee and breakfast. He was starving. He had never felt so hungry in his life.  
Once he had eaten twice as much as he usually did, he took a quick shower and dressed for work. 

~+~  
The Planet was busy as ever, and Clark felt a lot calmer once he sat down at his desk. 

“I thought you would be working from home,” Lois said, sitting down on the edge of the desk. 

“I’m starting to feel claustrophobic at home, Lois. I need to get back to real life.”

“You’re missing seven months of your life, and you just had another major accident – Clark, you were nearly blown up in Central , and that was only two weeks ago.”

“I’m fine,” Clark said. Mostly, if he ignored that he had destroyed his bed and not in the fun sense either. 

“Sure you are, but who am I to throw the first stone? Right?” She grinned at him and he smiled back. It was good that at least he and Lois were back to being friends. He didn’t even miss her as a lover. Probably because he had been with someone else over the last seven months. Which he wasn’t going to think about. But it was driving Clark crazy that he didn’t remember. And his reporter’s instinct told him that there was something fishy there. Bruce was holding something back. Clark just knew it.  
“Clark?” Lois asked. 

He shook his head. “A lot on my mind. Sorry. I need to finish this follow up on the Star Labs accident.”

She patted his shoulder. “You do that. But if you want to talk, about you know – him, I’m here.” 

Clark nodded. There was nothing to talk about. Bruce Wayne didn’t want to see him again, until he recovered his memories. And Clark didn’t know if he really wanted to have those memories back. Being not straight – it scared the hell out of him, if he was honest. He knew that no one else he cared about had a problem with it, but he – he had no time to come to terms with this side of himself that he knew nothing about.  
How far did he and Bruce go in those seven months?  
He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Do not thing about it, Clark, he told himself sternly.  
It was of course easier said than done. 

~+~  
It happened again. And it happened frequently. He put his fist through the wall on Wednesday and had to patch it up after work. He woke up inches above his bed. And that was definitely not normal.  
Seven weeks after the Star labs accident and things were staring to go crazy. 

“Heard about that weird stuff happening in Central city?” Lois asked. 

“Weird?” 

“Yes, weird, weirder than Arrow guy in Star City weirder than the rumored Batman in Gotham. Weird, like Twilight Zone weird,” Lois answered. “Check this out,” she opened her laptop and showed him what she had gathered over the last few weeks.

Weird was the right word for it. “Okay.”

“There aren’t many people with – let’s call them abilities – yet, but there are more than there were before Star Labs exploded. Before we had zero, now I have four. Four people who did things people shouldn’t be able to do, Clark. That is a story right there.” 

“Why are only certain people affected?” Clark wondered. 

“No idea!” Lois said. She sounded excited. “I bet some are hiding their powers, or maybe they haven’t discovered them yet. Some people are still in the hospital. One guy, a Barry Allen, is still in a coma.” 

“Must be hard for his family,” Clark said. 

“Yeah,” she replied with a look at him. “Point is, the explosion did something to these people, I’m sure of that. Wells stonewalls me, everyone else who is still working at Star Labs is too.”

“But you are going to keep digging,” Clark said. 

“Yes, I am.”

Clark nodded. He wanted answers too, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to end up in Lois' article about freak accidents and people with powers.  
On second thought he knew that he didn’t want to be outed as Clark Kent, the man who could fly.  
If that was what was happening to him. 

~+~  
It was what was happening to him. He could fly. He was also strong. Definitely stronger than before. He was not faster than before, had no other abilities either. The flying was what concerned Clark. He didn’t have that under control at all. And in a city like Metropolis there was hardly any place he could try and use this new ability.  
He had tried to ignore it, but it was clear now that it wasn’t going to go away. He was different now.  
He had dreamed of flying ever since he woke up at the hospital to Bruce Wayne sitting next to him in a crappy plastic chair. It felt natural in his dreams, it was hard work in the real world. 

He started to look into those vigilantes in Gotham and Star City. Did these people do what they did because they had abilities too?  
Could Clark help people with this? Did he even want to?  
He had no idea. 

“Clark,” Mom said, she sounded a bit tired, but that was understandable as it was elven at night. “Did something happen?” She asked, probably because he hadn’t said a word to her for at least two minutes. 

“Yes,” Clark replied and then he told her about the flying, the strength, the weird dreams he had. “What should I do now?” He asked. 

She hummed to let him know she was thinking. “I’ve read about the people in Central City that caused accidents and robbed banks.”

“I did too,” Clark said, rubbing his hand over his face. “I’m not like them.”

“I know.”

“But you think the media would throw me in with them because I can do these things,” Clark concluded. 

“People fear what they don’t understand and these people with abilities, they are hardly a shining beacon. Except for that Wonder Woman in France. She seems like a good person.”

She did seem like a good person, but she was also far away. He could hardly ask her for advice. 

“I just want you to be safe, Clark, you know I will always be proud of you. No matter what you decided to do with these new abilities,” she added. 

“Thank you mom.” 

“You are very welcome, Clark. Maybe you should fly over this weekend, visit me on the farm?” 

That was a good idea actually, Clark thought. It would be safe to try and train his abilities on the farm where no one could see him, where he couldn’t hurt anyone by accident either. 

“Yes, I will come and stay for the weekend.” 

“Good, now go to bed, Clark,” she said. 

Clark smiled. “Goodnight mom.”

“Goodnight, Clark,” she replied and hung up. 

~+~  
After a weekend spent on the farm he had his flying mostly under control, but he still didn’t know what to even do with it. Clark didn’t have any training and he hadn’t even been in a lot of fights as a kid or teenager.  
How did one go about becoming a vigilante? Or a hero? The only person he could ask was the Batman, if he could get a hold of the dark knight. It wasn’t like he could just call, or flip the Batsignal.  
He wasn’t going to be like the Batman or Arrow anyway, if he should decide to put on a mask and go save the day. Clark would like to be the beacon of hope.  
Bruce’s call interrupted his musings. 

“Yes?” he said cautiously. 

“Clark, I would like to talk to you. In person, if you have time?” Bruce asked. 

“What is this about?” 

“You’re home, right now, right?” Bruce asked. 

Clark looked over his shoulder to his door. “Yeah, but-“

There was a knock on his door. What the fuck, Clark thought, but got up anyway to open it.  
“Bruce,” he said and then hung up the phone, because really what were they doing? 

Bruce looked at him strangely for a second, and then nodded. “Can I come in?”

“You’re in Metropolis, ambushing me at home, even you said you didn’t want to see me or talk to me-“

“I know, but things have changed, you have changed, haven’t you?” Bruce asked. He was still standing in the hall and Clark really needed to make a decision here. He stepped aside. 

“Come in,” he said. “Something to drink?” 

“Water, thank you,” Bruce said and went to the kitchen to sit down. Bruce knew this place like he knew his own, Clark suddenly realized. He should have seen that coming, but it still took him by surprise. 

“So, you wanted to talk,” Clark said, as he put a glass of water in front of Bruce Wayne. 

“About you and your – abilities.” 

“Wait! Did you spy on me?” Clark asked. 

Bruce sighed. “Your first instinct should be to deny it, not to confirm it, Clark.” 

“Right,” Clark said, because Bruce had a point and Clark should really think about what he was going to answer if he should ever be confronted with something like this again. “But you were spying on me.”

“I kept tabs on you and your mother,” Bruce allowed. 

“Spying. On. Me.” 

“Are you training?” Bruce asked, ignoring Clark’s minor outrage. 

Clark shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m doing to be honest. I can fly now and I am stronger than before, but what do I know about fighting crime? Or helping people? I’m not Batman or Arrow.”

“Thank god for that,” Bruce said. 

“You’re from Gotham, what do you think about the Batman?”

“It’s complicated,” Bruce replied. 

“Of course it is,” Clark huffed. “So why are you here? To warn me? To tell me to hide away and never use these powers? Because…I don’t think I can. Flying is amazing,” Clark said. 

“I want you to be careful Clark,” Bruce said. 

There was a quite sincerity in his voice that tugged at Clark’s heart. He swallowed. Why was it that Bruce got to him like this? Was that some left over feeling? Was the love that everyone claimed he once had for Bruce still in there somewhere? In his brain? Just waiting to be uncovered? If he spend time with Bruce now, would he fall in love again? 

“I want you to tell me the truth,” Clark replied. 

“I just did.”

“Not about that. I believe you that you want me to be careful, I believe that you care about me, still.” He looked at Bruce. “I want to know about us, before.”

“Clark, whatever for? You can’t remember and I want to forget!” 

“And still: You’re here,” Clark said. “You’re hiding something from me. I know it.”

“Just be careful,” Bruce said and got up. 

He was about to leave again, Clark just knew it. And he was not about to let Bruce leave without giving him answers. He was not – he grabbed Bruce’s arm and Bruce reacted, he had Clark pinned against the wall, with an arm pressed against his throat in a matter of moments. He was staring into Bruce’s cold blue eyes.  
“Bruce,” Clark said, he could feel Bruce’s heat, the solid form of his body and he wanted to lean in and not away. 

Bruce took a breath and stepped away. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“I shouldn’t have done that? What about you? What the hell is wrong with you? I only wanted to make you stay, you choked me!” It wasn’t really true and Clark knew he was being unfair right now, but he didn’t want to think about that moment when he wanted to lean in, or have Bruce lean in. “Now I know that you have secrets,” he added. 

“You knew them all before,” Bruce said, calmly.  
It took Clark aback. He hadn’t expected that answer.  
“You remember some things, don’t you?” Bruce asked. He was still so close. Too close. But Clark had the wall at his back. “You didn’t even try to shove me away.”

“Is that something we did?” Clarke asked. The ‘In bed’ went unspoken but by the curl of Bruce’s lip he heard it. 

“Been wondering about that a lot?” 

Clark looked away from Bruce’s face. “How the hell can I not?! So was it? Did you choke me? Did I like it?”

“Did you like it right now?”

“That was a whole different context, I imagine,” Clark snapped. “Just answer the question, why do you always have to play these games?” He added. 

Bruce closed his eyes briefly and his face closed off. “No, we didn’t. I never choked you in bed, you never said you’d like to try it, but it was a different you I was with.”

A different you, Clark thought, Bruce had said something like this before. “Am I so different now?”

“Yes,” Bruce said. “You are. But maybe you won’t stay that way for long, after all you have abilities now.” 

Clark leaned his head against the wall and looked up at his ceiling. “What the hell happened to me?”

There was silence so long that Clark thought Bruce would not answer at all and then he did and Clark wished he hadn’t, because it sounded like his body had been snatched by – something alien, something other. Was that why he dreamed about flying?  
“That’s insane,” Clark whispered. 

“That is what you told me,” Bruce replied. 

“Why did I come to you in the first place? Why did you believe me?”

“Because you knew me, Clark. You knew me and a lot of the things you said – no one knows that about me, except Alfred. You knew things about me, so I believed you. And now…he’s gone. And you are here. And you look like him, but you aren’t him.” 

“You don’t think he’ll come back, do you?”

“No,” Bruce said. 

What a horrible realization that must have been for Bruce, Clark thought. To lose his lover like this forever and have someone else there, wearing his body and face. No wonder he didn’t want to see Clark ever again. But still – here they were. Was it because Bruce couldn’t let go? 

“I’m glad,” Clark said, because he was. He couldn’t stand the thought of someone else being inside his body, living his life and then leaving his body and the shattered pieces behind for Clark to clean up. 

“Yes, I imagine you would,” Bruce replied, calmly. 

“I’m sorry you lost him, but it hadn’t been his body in the first place. He had no right-“

“He lived it the best way he knew how. He fell in love, he made the world better for being here, so don’t tell me he had no right! It wasn’t like he had wanted this,” Bruce cut in sharply. 

“Sorry, this isn’t easy for me either,” Clark said. 

“I think I should go now,” Bruce said. 

Clark thought he was right. There was a lot he had to process now. He didn’t try to hold Bruce back when he left this time. 

~Three~  
The facts were:  
He hadn’t been in love with Bruce Wayne, because another him had taken over his body. He had been somewhere else. Somewhere…he didn’t even know what had happened with his mind or soul or whatever. He hadn’t be here for over seven months.  
Someone else had lived his life. 

Clark still had some fragments of memory from that other person. There was no way to get rid of them. It was messing with his head. Point in case: he hadn’t deleted the photos of him and Bruce Wayne from his phone. 

He had abilities now, and the other him had claimed to have abilities as well. At least in this other reality. Bruce Wayne had taken that at face value. What had the other him known about Bruce Wayne to gain his trust so easily? 

Why was Clark obsessing about that?  
He sighed. He had his life back but it was changing. And it was changing fast. 

The ringing of his phone interrupted his musings. It was Lois. “Yes?”

“Did you not read your emails today?” She asked. 

“No, I just –“

“Do it now,” Lois interrupted, “I’ll wait.” 

Clark sighed but grabbed his tablet. It was an article from a blogger about a Red Streak in Central City. He frowned. “Okay?”

“Someone is helping people, someone with abilities!” Lois said excited. 

“You want to go to Central and check it out. Maybe meet up with this blogger,” Clark clued in. 

“This is big, Clark. Of course I want to do a story on it. This guy – or girl, is different than the Arrow or the Batman. The Streak doesn’t seem to hurt people. He’s not about vengeance.” 

“He wants to help,” Clark said. 

“Exactly. He’s not a vigilante, he’s gonna be a hero,” Lois replied. 

“He needs a better name,” Clark said. 

Lois laughed. “I’m gonna pitch this to Perry Monday morning. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” Clark laughed. 

“Enjoy your weekend Clark,” Lois said and then hung up on him. 

He knew she hadn’t only called to make sure he read the article or to tell him how excited she was about this. She had called because he had been in Central when Star Labs blew up. And because she was his friend and checked up on him.  
He loved Lois.  
And he was curious about this Streak person. The next two hours he spent online to read everything there was on the Streak and other related accidents in Central City.  
Could he be like this? Just helping people? He would need a name, a mask, protection, because he wasn’t bulletproof.  
He’d need money…

~+~  
Maybe he should have called first, he though as he was standing outside the gates to Bruce Wayne’s lake-house.  
He rang the bell and waited. 

“How may I help you?” Asked a British voice. That would be the butler, Clark thought. 

“Clark Kent to see Mister Wayne if he’s home,” Clark answered.

“One moment please,” came the reply. 

Clark waited. It seemed Bruce Wayne was home, the question was if he would let Clark in. After what felt like an eternity to Clark, the gate slowly swung open. Clark flew over to the door just for the hell of it. They were far enough away from any neighbors and Bruce Wayne already knew his secret.  
The door was open, and Bruce Wayne was standing in it. He wore only a dark t-shirt, that hugged his body snuggly, and a pair of loose pants. 

“You heard of this great invention called telephone?” Bruce asked. 

“I really needed to see you,” Clark replied. “Can I come in?”

Bruce smiled, wryly. “I’m sure this is not the need to see you visit I would prefer,” he said and stepped aside. 

Clark fought a blush and won. “I was reading up on the Streak.”

“Ah,” Bruce said. 

“And this guy does really help people. Lois said he’s different than Arrow and the Batman, because he’s not about vengeance and I think – I would like to help people too.”

“And why are you here now then?” 

“Because I will need help with that, and you said my other – he, the other me, was a hero on his world.” 

“I still don’t see-“

“I need training, you obviously had some. I mean you were fast in my apartment. That hints at training of some kind. And I would need – some kind of protection, I can fly and I am strong, but I am not bulletproof. You help the Batman. I mean…Wayne Enterprises does.” 

“Jesus, Clark,” Bruce said, going over to the bar and pouring himself a drink. He didn’t offer Clark one, Clark didn’t know if he was pissed about that or not. He gulped the scotch down and then poured another. “Let me get this straight, you’re asking me for money so you can go out and risk your life?” 

“No.”

“What then? Because it sounds awfully like you’re asking me for money and time – or do you want me to pay for a trainer in martial arts as well?”

“I thought you might understand, but I was obviously wrong about you,” Clark said. “It was a mistake to come here. I’m sorry, I won’t bother you again.” He turned to leave, but Bruce’s voice made him look over his shoulder. 

“I understand. What you don’t see is that you – he, so you too, that you’re important and that I can’t see you rush into danger.”

Clark sighed. “I’m not him, but I guess we’re alike in some aspects, because I don’t think he would just sit this out. He was a hero-“

“He was an invincible alien!”

“Not while in my body,” Clark said stubbornly. 

“He wasn’t wearing a cape and a mask while in your body,” Bruce pointed out. 

Clark started to hate Bruce’s logic. It was fucking frustrating that Bruce seemed to be always a few steps ahead of him in every argument. “Decent of him, but still. Point still stands, I want to help people.”

“You’re going to do this alone, if I don’t help you, aren’t you Clark?” 

“Yes,” Clark replied. 

Bruce shook his head. “Fine. We’ll find you a trainer in Metropolis, but you will train with me every week as well. We’ll need to get you fitted, find out your strengths, so we can play to them.”

“Thank you Bruce.” 

“You really shouldn’t thank me for this Clark.” 

“What did he call himself? The other me?”

“Superman, because the symbol he wore on his chest, which means hope in his culture and language, looked like our ‘S’.”

“And because he’s obviously super?” Clark said with a smile. 

“Yes, there was that of course too.” 

“It doesn’t feel right to claim that name. I don’t have the same history.”

“I’m sure it will come to you Clark. And everything is better than The Streak.”

Clark laughed. It was true enough. 

~+~  
Bruce didn’t kid around when it came to Clark’s training. The trainer was a master and Clark had to train with him for two hours a day, every day.  
The first time he spared with Bruce he was on the mat on his back in two minutes flat. Clark suspected Bruce had been going easy on him. 

“Where did you learn all this?” Clark asked. 

“I’ve been around the world when I was younger, you probably read about my yearlong disappearance,” Bruce replied. 

“I think pretty much everyone thought you were partying it up on an island somewhere and not learning how to kill people with your bare hands.”

“I don’t kill people, Clark. I had to be able to protect myself,” he said. 

“Protect from what?” Clark wanted to know. 

“Beat me and I’ll tell you,” Bruce answered. 

Clark groaned. “I will never know, will I?”

“You’ll have to get creative for sure,” Bruce replied. “Again, come one. If you want to help people and not get killed by someone’s bullet, you better try harder.”

Clark got up from the mat and faced Bruce again.  
And again and again and again. Until it was three hours later and he felt bruised and tired as hell. How was Bruce in such good shape? The man was ten years older than Clark and Clark had been working out – a bit – before. There was definitely more to Bruce Wayne than meet the eye. 

~+~  
“He’s called The Flash now,” Lois said, “that West woman had an interview with him. Hero of Central City.”

“I like the Flash, it sounds way better than the streak. Catchy and fitting, as he’s fast,” Clark said. He still hadn’t come up with his own secret identity, but he was sure it would come to him one day. How did the Batman become the Batman? Maybe he should stalk the vigilante and ask that very question. He knew from Bruce that the other Clark had been named after the symbol on his chest, which was from another, apparently now dead world. Clark knew he could not claim that name for himself. But he wasn’t sure he wanted the press to give him a cute nickname either. 

Lois smiled. “Yeah. The villains in that city are getting cute nicknames too. Damn that West woman.” She sighed. “I wanted to be the first to interview a hero.”

“You could ask the Batman for an interview,” Clark joked. 

Lois snorted. “Right. As if.”

“Maybe you’ll get your own superhero one of these days,” Clark replied. 

“I wish, someone handsome and strong,” Lois said. 

“What would Hugh say to that?” Clark teased. 

She waved it away. “A girl can dream, you know me. I would never cheat.”

Clark nodded, that was true enough. It had been weird to see Lois dating at first, but now he felt okay with it.  
“Speaking off,” Lois said. “What about you and your love life?”

It was time for Clark to snort. “What love life?” 

“You and Bruce didn’t make up?” 

He looked at her sharply. “Why would you ask?”

“Ferry tickets to Gotham, Clark,” Lois replied. 

“And I can’t just go to Gotham for other reasons than Bruce Wayne?”

“You could, of course, but you take the ferry every week, like clockwork,” she replied. “And you don’t know anyone in Gotham except Bruce Wayne, who had been your lover until you forgot him.”

“I didn’t forget him, I just – just the part where we had been involved,” Clark replied. But he had the feeling, sometimes when they spared and Bruce was so close or pinning him down – he had the feeling then that he could remember how it had been to be with Bruce. And he couldn’t shake it. 

“Involved sounds like an affair, a fling. But it wasn’t,” Lois said. 

“Well, I can’t remember. And I don’t want to talk about it either. We’re not seeing each other.”

She shrugged. “If you say so.”

“Just because you don’t believe it, doesn’t make it less true,” Clark replied. 

“Fine,” Lois said.  
Clark nodded. 

~+~  
He wasn’t dating Bruce Wayne, he had no intention of dating Bruce Wayne. He and Bruce Wayne were training, sometimes talking.  
So, maybe Clark was in the process to befriend Bruce Wayne. That wasn’t such a bad thing, was it? Or was it selfish to want friendship from a man who so clearly desired him sexually?  
Bruce never did anything that made Clark uncomfortable, but he sometimes looked at Clark that certain way and something inside Clark clicked then and he wanted to - reach out maybe, pull Bruce in. Of course he didn’t. 

“Lois thinks we’re dating, so next time you see her somewhere - you know be prepared.” 

“I’m always prepared,” Bruce said, taking a long swig from his water bottle. 

“Why?” Clark asked.

“Why what?”

“Why are you always prepared, why can you do what you can do? Where are all those scars coming from?” 

“Do they bother you?” Bruce asked. He wasn’t wearing a t-shirt, because it had gotten heated an hour ago or so. Clark knew he was improving every day, but he still couldn’t – he was doing this all wrong. He wasn’t using any of his abilities at all. Not with his master back in Metropolis, not with Bruce here. He couldn’t use them with his master, because he had to keep that part of himself hidden from strangers, but he could use it with Bruce. Should in fact use these abilities with Bruce, because he had to be able to use them in the field without hurting himself or anyone else. 

“No, they don’t bother me, Bruce. They make me curious. Don’t they make other people curious?” 

“Other people?”

“Lovers? Hook-ups, I know you aren’t celibate, Bruce,” Clark said. 

Bruce smiled. “I’m not. But they don’t care much.”

“What do you tell them?” 

“Lies,” Bruce answered. 

“The other me knew, didn’t he?” Clark asked, he was onto something here. There were flashes and muscle memory and all kinds of other things in his brain and body but he just couldn’t get to them. 

Bruce put the water bottle down and stretched. Clark couldn’t look away from the muscles shifting under Bruce’s skin. So strong and fluid. “He knew everything about me. Come one, once more.”

Clark finished his own water and nodded.  
He would let Bruce have his secrets today, but next time would be different. 

~+~  
“I was wondering when you would try to use your new abilities on me,” Bruce said, he was sitting on Clark’s legs, pinning him down. Again. 

“I thought I’d wait until I was confident enough.”

Bruce smirked down on him. It was an amused smirk. Clark had learned all kinds of things about Bruce over the last three months, differencing his smirks and smiles was one of them.  
“I think you showed your hand too early,” Bruce said. 

“I’m still stronger than you,” Clark replied. 

“I have you on your back, Clark,” Bruce said and it went straight to Clark’s gut. 

He could feel himself getting hot, they have been here before. His body has been here before and his body knew what it wanted, he turned his face away from Bruce and breathed, his eyes closed. “It’s not the first time,” Clark replied. His voice sounded strange to his own ears. Shit. He was getting aroused by this whole situation.

Bruce let go of him and stood up. “I think this is enough for today.” 

Yeah, Clark thought, there was no way in hell Bruce hadn’t caught Clark’s…whatever that had been, whatever that was. “I think you’re right. Just give me a second.” 

“Of course, Clark,” Bruce said and left for the showers. 

Clark stayed on the mat and just breathed until his body started to behave again.  
Well, he thought, that could be a problem. 

~Four~  
Was it only Bruce, he wondered, once he was back in his apartment. He had a whole weekend to himself and he was pretty sure now that he was going to spend it brooding.  
He had never thought about men in that way before, but being around Bruce Wayne surely had changed things. His body knew what it wanted, even if Clark had no idea whatsoever.  
He made himself a tea, grabbed the laptop and took everything with him to the bedroom. 

He took a deep breath before he switched the laptop on and then another one as he typed ‘gay sex’ into Google. There were of course a lot of things that men did with each other that men and women did with each other as well: like kissing, stroking and sucking cock. Clark was sure he could handle that at least. But there were other things as well, of which he never really thought about in detail. Things he was curious about now.  
Porn could be educational, he reasoned, as he clicked the link.  
Ten minutes into the whole thing he shut the laptop and just breathed. This was not what he had been looking for, even if he didn’t know what he had been looking for. 

But now Clark was pretty sure that, no, it wasn’t only Bruce. Maybe the other Clark being with Bruce had made Clark face this side of him, but it was clear to him now that this side had always been there. Maybe his other self had just been braver in exploring it. Maybe it had been because Bruce had been the one he had explored it with.  
He could hardly walk up to Bruce Wayne now and ask for a date and a kiss. Clark was sure Bruce would know what was up, would call him out on it and Clark would lose what he had now with Bruce. Clark needed Bruce’s help. He was asking too much already and he knew it.  
He would have to find another way to explore this side of him.  
Or just leave it be. That was always an option as well. He could just not.

The phone interrupted his musings and he was glad for it. 

“Okay, so, you, me Central City this weekend?” Lois asked. 

“Did you already book flights?” Clark wanted to know. 

“Be at the airport in three hours, Clark,” Lois said and hung up on him. 

It was better than a weekend of brooding and watching gay-porn for educational purposes, he guessed. He packed a few things, grabbed his keys and was out of the door. 

~+~  
“I know it’s about the Flash, Lois, but why now?”

“Because he’s becoming big and because Perry gave me the okay now. I said I needed a photographer, you’re pretty decent and Olsen wasn’t available. So, lucky you,” Lois said. 

Clark was pretty sure that wasn’t the only reason. If she had a hidden agenda he would find out soon enough.  
“I’m glad you called, to be honest.”

“You can talk to me, you know that Clark,” she said as they got into a taxi that would bring them to their hotel. 

“I know.” 

“Good, so there is this dive bar ‘Saints and Sinners’ I want to check out.”

“No,” Clark said. 

“I know that some of the guys the Flash had been up against are frequent guests there, Clark. It’s a good place to start.” 

“What about Star Labs?” Clark asked, because he had been doing his own research as well and someone had to help the Flash, had to have made that fancy suit of his. The man was really fast, so Clark was sure regular clothes wouldn’t cut it. Would probably go up in flames at a certain speed. The Flash needed someone like Bruce to help him. Someone with money. And Star Labs was still operating, Clark had looked into it. With a skeleton staff and private funding, by Harrison Wells. Yes, sure he could feel bad for what happened all those months ago, but maybe there was another reason for him to stay at Star Labs. Maybe The Flash was that reason. 

“Wells is still stonewalling me,” Lois said. 

“That never kept you away before, in fact it had been an incentive in the past,” Clark said. 

“There might be a restraining order in place…” Lois said. 

“Ah, that’s where I come in?” 

“It’s private property now, and you have been here when the whole thing exploded, so you could maybe knock on their door? Ask for help or something?” 

That wasn’t a bad idea at all, Clark thought, especially if Wells was helping the Flash and because Clark did gain abilities because of the explosion. He wasn’t sure he was going to tell Wells about it, but if push came to shove, it could be his way in.  
“Fine, but you’re not going alone into that dive bar. Full of criminals, Lois.”

“Of course not. You will come with me,” Lois said. 

Of course he would. Clark was pretty sure he could take on some petty criminals now that he had training and was a lot stronger than a regular human being.  
This could be his test run.  
“No question there,” Clark said just as the taxi stopped in front of their hotel. 

“Here is the plan,” Lois said as they were crossing the lobby, “Quick shower, some food at a dinner close by, then we’ll explore the city, ask the people's opinion on the Flash and then tonight ‘Saints and Sinners’, sound good?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Clark replied. 

“See you in an hour Clark,” Lois said, as they stepped out of the elevator.  
Clark nodded. 

He threw his bag onto the bed and went to the bathroom. Lois was right of course, a shower and a change of clothes was needed after a flight, and some food. He was eating more now too, Bruce said it was because his body was changing and he needed the calories. Made sense to Clark.  
He took longer in the shower than usually, but he had a full hour and he could take advantage of that.  
Once he was done and dressed he went down to the lobby with five minutes to spare. Lois was already waiting for him: looking beautiful and ready to take on the world.  
After a good meal he would be ready to take on the world too. 

~+~  
Clark didn’t want to waste any more time once they had eaten and were hitting the streets. People in Central City had mostly favorable things to say about The Flash. Which wasn’t really a surprise at all.  
He took pictures while Lois asked questions and after three hours oft that he was ready to call it a day. It was still too early to hit Saints and Sinners, so they decided to go back to the hotel and go over the material they had already gathered. 

“Tomorrow I’m going to knock on Star Labs’ doors and hope they’ll let me in, what will you do?”

“Sightseeing,” Lois said, which was a bullshit answer if Clark ever heard one from her.

“Right,” Clark said. 

“I want to hit the police station, ask what they think about the Flash,” she replied. 

“Good thinking. People in Gotham don’t talk about the Batman.”

“The Flash is different,” Lois said. 

“I know, I just mean, they’re still police, not very forthcoming with information.”

Lois nodded, took a sip of her coffee. “I wasn’t born yesterday, I called ahead, actually and asked to speak with the police captain. Singh is actually a capable man, also has a lovely and hot fiancée. A city is progressive, if they have no problem with a gay police captain. So I have high hopes of getting something good. I’m not even looking for dirt on the Flash, I just want to know why he does what he does.”

“Because he’s a good person?”

She shrugged. “Maybe.” 

“What would you do with superpowers?” 

“Never really thought about it. I guess it would depend on if they’re any useful superpowers.”

“I would never have thought that super speed could be useful, but here you have the Flash, running around and saving people.” 

“Being invincible could be useful, bulletproof would be nice in our line of work,” Lois said. 

“But would you put on a mask and help people?” Clark wanted to know. 

“I guess, I would, if I could. I’m doing my best now, don’t I? And I don’t have any special abilities.” 

That was true, Clark thought. You didn’t need to have inhuman abilities to be a hero. You just needed abilities and the will to make the world a better place. Bruce had abilities; he had also money and a will to make the world a better place.  
Bruce had also scars, old and new and bruises and secrets and a tragic past. 

“Clark?” Lois asked. 

“Yes?”

“Where did you go right now, it seemed you had a flash of inspiration. No pun intended.” 

He smiled. “Nothing that important, just something that had been puzzling me and suddenly clicked into place.” 

“A something that you don’t want to share with the class right now,” Lois said. 

Clark nodded. “No yet anyway.” 

“Fine, we have other things to do anyway. I hope you have something dive bar worthy to wear for tonight. We’re gonna meet in the lobby around nine?”

“Sounds good, see you later Lois,” Clark said, getting up. He left her in her hotel room to her own devices. He had three hours left until nine and he really needed some more food. 

~+~  
Saints and Sinners was really a dive bar and they didn’t fit in at all. 

They had just sat down at the bar when a man came over. “So,” he said there was a drawl to his voice that hinted at amusement. “Lost?”

“No,” Lois said, turning away from him and ordering drinks. 

“You certainly look like you don’t belong here,” he replied, but he was talking to Clark now. He was probably Bruce’s age, not as broad, slim in fact, a swimmer’s build, and he wore his cocky smile as well as he wore his skinny black jeans. He was an attractive man, Clark realized. 

“We probably don’t,” Clark said. 

The man leaned against the bar and signaled the bartender for a drink. He was a regular then, because she didn’t even ask his order.  
“What brings you here then? A bit of danger to spice things up?” 

Lois looked at him then. Her eyes sharp. “You okay, Clark?” 

“Yeah,” Clark replied. 

She nodded, took her drink and went to the pool table.  
“You’re not a couple, anymore,” the man observed. “And you’re not cops either. So…Clark, what is it you’re looking for at Saints and Sinners? The saints, or the sinners?”

“I don’t think I’ll find any saints here,” Clark said. 

The man’s lips curled into an amused smile. “You’d be surprised.”

“Would I?”

“Let me guess then, I’m good at this game,” the man said, ignoring Clark’s question. 

Clark believed that in a heartbeat. This man was intelligent, intuitive and dangerous. Not to mention gorgeous. The bartender put a drink in front of them and the man downed it.  
“You’re a reporter,” he said, putting the shot glass down. “And you’re looking for someone who had a run in with the scarlet speedster.”

Something about the way he said ‘Scarlet Speedster’ made Clark pay closer attention. It sounded like he knew the Flash. Not just because they had a run in, there was something else there.  
“And you’re that someone?” Clark asked. 

“I don’t talk to reporters,” the man said. 

“You’re just making an exception for me,” Clark pointed out. 

“Oh, pretty, I’m trying to pick you up.” 

Clark choked on the water he had been sticking with. “I-“

“You can’t tell me you’re not interested, or curious, I know when someone wants to get in my pants, or is thinking about it,” he winked. 

“Sorry, I – yes, you’re attractive, but no.” 

The man shrugged. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to regret this,” he said, leaning in and Clark couldn’t help himself he leaned in as well and then the man’s lips were on his and the kiss was passionate and skillful and left Clark breathless.  
“Shit,” Clark said. 

The man laughed and bowed. “I’ll be here tomorrow as well. Same time, Clark.” And then he turned to leave. 

“Hey!” Clark said, “What’s your name?” 

“You’re way in over your head, Clark. It’s Leonard, but people know me as Cold.” He threw over his shoulder and then he was gone, swallowed by the darkness at the other end of the bar.

That at least did ring a bell. Shit, Clark thought, had he just been making out with Captain Cold? Criminal Mastermind? 

“Well,” Lois said with a look. “Found yourself a new older man? Is that your type when it comes to men?”

It was probably handsome and dangerous with secrets, but he wasn’t going to tell Lois that.  
“Let’s get out of here, okay?” Clark asked. 

She smirked. “Yeah. Let’s go back and compare notes.” 

~+~  
He left Lois at the police station the next morning and took a taxi to Star Labs.  
The building was more or less a ruin, but the parts that were operating had impressive security.  
To his surprise he was granted access after he plead his case. 

“Cisco Ramone. Doctor Wells isn’t in yet,” the young man said, offering his hand. 

“Clark Kent,” Clark said. 

“You want the tour Clark?”

“Sure,” Clark answered. 

The next two hours were spend walking around the shell that had been once one of the most modern science labs in the world.  
“People around here pretty much hate our guts,” Cisco said. “But I still think we can do important and good work here. You said you had some questions about the explosion?”

“More about the people with abilities, like the Flash and other colorful characters. These people started to have abilities after the explosion. I am curios if there is a link.”

“And with curious you mean, you’re pretty sure there is one,” Cisco said. 

Clark nodded. 

Cisco was silent for a long while. “Do you have any abilities Clark?” 

“If I did, would you be the ones responsible for them?” Clark asked. 

Cisco sighed. “Yeah, we would. Are you going to rob a bank or kill someone?” 

“I’m a reporter for the Daily Planet,” Clark said. 

Cisco smiled. “Yes, I know. Checked your background while you were waiting outside.” 

Clark laughed. It got easier from there. 

~+~  
He left Star Labs with a lot of information and a good feeling. Also an invitation to come around again soon. For tests. And help if he should need it with his new abilities.  
Clark didn’t know if he would take Cisco up on it, but it was good to know that he could ask someone else than Bruce for help now too.  
He was surer than ever that Star Labs was helping the Flash and he was convinced that the Flash was a good person.  
This weekend in Central had been way better than his plan to sit around at home and brood.  
He had to buy Lois something nice as a thank you. 

~Five~  
It took another six weeks for Clark to finally beat Bruce and once he had Bruce flat on his back on the mat he was just staring, because he could hardly believe it. 

“Did you let me win?” Clark asked, looking down on Bruce. 

Bruce scowled. “Why would I do that? You think a real opponent will let you win?”

“No, of course not,” Clark answered. 

“You did well, I didn’t anticipate the combination of flying and strength,” Bruce said. 

Clark smiled. “I surprised you!” 

“You do that all the time, Clark. How was your weekend in Central City?”

“I met the Flash,” Clark said. “It was an accident. He’s really bad at keeping his secret identity secret,” he added. It had been the third time since Lois made him come with her that he had visit Central City. Captain Cold had hit on him again, but he wasn’t going to tell Bruce that. 

“At least he’s wearing a mask,” Bruce said. “You can get up now, Clark.”

“Oh, sure, sorry,” Clark said. He hadn’t even realized that he had made himself at home in Bruce’s lap. Shit. He needed to get a handle on this attraction. Because it was an attraction and Clark wasn’t going to lie to himself about it anymore. “I beat you, so are you going to tell me all your secrets now?” Clark asked, as he got up and stepped away from Bruce. 

“I will tell you one,” Bruce replied. 

“Do I get another one every time I beat you?” 

“You think you will be able to beat me again?” Bruce asked. 

Clark shrugged. “It depends on the incentive.” 

Bruce’s lips did this thing where they curved, but it wasn’t really a smile. Clark liked when Bruce’s lips did that. He liked Bruce’s lips too and wondered how they would feel against his own.  
“Okay, Clark, you get one secret for every time you have me flat on the mat.” 

Clark held out his hand and Bruce clasped it. His handshake was strong and warm. Clark liked warm things.  
“Deal,” Clark said. 

“So, what is the secret you want to know?” 

“Let me think about it,” Clark replied. 

Bruce looked at him for a second like he was proud, it made Clark’s stomach flip.  
“Are you staying for dinner? Alfred made something Spanish.” 

It would be a crime to pass up Alfred’s cooking so Clark agreed. 

~+~  
“Okay, spit it out!” Lois said two days later over lunch in a small dinner. She had practically dragged him out and she was paying too, which was making Clark suspicious. 

“Spit out what? We haven’t even ordered yet,” Clark asked. 

“You and Wayne. Wayne and you,” Lois said. “Also, are you still seeing Cold on the side?”

“What?” 

“Your trips to Wayne’s window box of a house, I know it was done by a famous architect, but it still looks like a handful of cubes put together and thrown on the side of a lake,” she said. “And the trips to Central City. I know you’re not writing an article, because the Planet doesn’t pay for those trips.” 

Clark could hardly tell her that he was flying over to Bruce’s house and that he was also flying over to Central City and that Cisco was helping with his training. In a totally different way than Bruce was. He still wasn’t ready to tell Lois about his abilities. He wondered when he would be ready, if ever.  
“I made friends in Central, and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing with Bruce,” Clark replied, because he actually wanted to talk about it with someone and Lois was ready to hear whatever he had to say. 

“Okay,” Lois said, “Let’s order first and then you can tell me about you and Bruce.”

There was no him and Bruce of course. Not anymore. Probably never really was, because Bruce hadn’t been together with Clark, but with a different version of him. That was something else he couldn’t tell Lois. Different earths; that would blow her mind.

They ordered and once Clark had eaten he sighed, looking at his friend. “We spend time together and I know it has been hard for him at first, but I kinda needed to know about those seven months I didn’t remember. So yeah…and now I’m aware that, yes, my bi-curiosity is a real thing. It’s not only Bruce.”

“Cold,” Lois said nodding. 

“I would obviously never, but I can acknowledge that he is good looking and I liked when he kissed me. It felt good. Not weird at all.”

“Okay, so you are into men as well. No big deal,” Lois said. “You want to be with Bruce again?”

“I really can’t remember being with him, so for me it would be the first time, Lois. And I don’t know if he wants to be with me.”

She took a sip of her coffee to give herself a moment to gather her thoughts. He knew her well enough to recognize the tactic. “Start anew then. It’s the only thing you can do. None of this friendship thing you have going on now.”

“Friendship is important, Lois, you know that.” 

She smiled. “Yes, of course, but I think after all this time you need to – tell him. Ask him out. What’s the worst that can happen? He can say no and then you’ll know and can move on. Work on your weird friendship and date someone else.” She put her cup down. “It’s working for us, isn’t it?”

It was true, it was working for them. They were past all the weirdness of post-breakup now. Friendship was possible even after the love and desire to get naked together was gone.  
“You’re right. I really should talk to Bruce,” Clark said. By now Bruce knew that Clark couldn’t remember anything specific, but Clark hadn’t told him that he sometimes got flashes from before. It was someone else’s life after all. And Clark needed to live his own. And if he wanted to make this work with Bruce, not only friendship but something more, a partnership he needed to be honest about it all, needed to be clear that his desire to be with Bruce was not an echo of the other Clark’s feelings. 

“That’s my boy,” Lois replied. 

~+~  
“How did you get those scars?” Clark asked, after their weekly sparing session. 

“They’re all different,” Bruce replied, with a look at Clark. 

Clark smiled. “Yes, I know. I know how you got some, I read coroner’s reports after all, so I know that this one,” Clark said, touching a scar low on Bruce’s stomach gently, “was from a knife. The one on your arm? A bullet wound. But I think you got them by doing the same thing, am I wrong?”  
Bruce’s eyes were sharp and clear when he took Clark’s wrist and pulled it away from his skin. “So, how did you come by those scars, Bruce?” Clark added. 

It was a moment of truth for them both. Clark had been talking a lot with Team Flash and he didn’t lie, he had to read the one or other coroner’s report, and he was putting things together for a while now.  
He was pretty sure that Bruce was in fact Gotham’s Dark Knight. And that the other him had known it. The other Clark had had abilities too and he had called himself Superman in his world, he and Bruce had been friends. Bruce had told Clark all this.  
It was still embarrassing how long it took Clark to put these things together. 

“You know already, don’t you Clark?”

“I don’t know, I have a suspicion, but I don’t know.” 

“I got them because I beat people up at night and sometimes those people land a lucky hit. Some of it was stupidity of course,” Bruce replied. 

“You are the Batman,” Clark said. 

Bruce’s fingers tightened around his wrist, because he was still holding Clark’s wrist and –  
“Yes,” Bruce said simply. “I am.” 

“He knew everything about you because you worked together. The other you and the other me, him. That’s why he trusted you.”

“Yes,” Bruce said. 

“Did you help me because you thought we would be a good team?”

“I didn’t work with him, Clark. He had been entirely human while in your body.”

“Right,” Clark said, frowning. But there had to be something. “You didn’t only help me because I said I would do it on my own, did you?”

“No,” Bruce replied. 

Oh, Clark thought, fuck, of course. Bruce had done it because he loved Clark, the other Clark and Clark was wearing his face and his body. This body, in fact, that Bruce knew so well. “I-“

“You had to know this, Clark!” Bruce snapped. 

“Yes, I knew. I’m sorry. I knew, but sometimes – sometimes I don’t want to remember that someone else was living my life and someone else was there before me!” Clark snapped right back. Couldn’t Bruce see that this was hard on Clark too? 

“Where?” Bruce asked. 

“Everywhere! Hell, everywhere. He discovered my bi-sexuality, he had been in my body when we first met, kissed, fucked. When we had our first fight, when we first made up, our first date. Everything. Bruce. Fucking everything!” Clark exploded. Shit, he hadn’t meant to say these things, at least not like this. He had – it should have been different. Clark had had a plan. “And he’s still here, between us.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way,” Bruce said. 

“Of course not. You had your own shit to deal with. I know, Bruce. I know it must be hard to look at me and see his body and know that he isn’t in here,” Clark replied, slapping a hand against his own chest for emphasis. “But this isn’t only difficult for you. Because I had to wonder if I would have ever looked at you twice – or any other man for that matter – if he hadn’t been together with you. If he hadn’t been in love with you and you in love with him. I can never be sure now, can I? And neither can you.” He sighed, running a hand through his sweaty hair. “But it is what it is. And we can only make the best of it.” 

“And what is the best?” Bruce asked. 

“Hell if I know,” Clark admitted. “But I know you desire me and I – have feelings for you too.”

“Beside curiosity you mean?” 

“Damn it, Bruce! I could go out and hook up if all I wanted was a quick fuck to see if I like it in real life or if it’s only hot in theory.”

“And you think it’s hot in theory?” 

Clark shrugged. He wished he weren’t sweaty and half naked for this conversation. “Yeah. Kinda…some of it.” 

“Some of it?” Bruce questioned. 

“I’ve watched porn okay? Some of it was hot, some was not.” He squared his shoulders and looked Bruce in the eyes. “Don’t you want to find out what turns me on?” 

“You want me to compare?” 

“I want you to see me!” Clark hissed. 

“I see you,” Bruce replied, stepping closer. “And I see him in you and I think that will never change, because you’re not that different. You and him.” 

That was only fair, Clark thought. “Okay,” he said, breathing slowly. “Okay. I can work with that. Can you?”

“What exactly is it that you’re asking me Clark?” 

All or nothing, Clark thought. “Wanna go out with me? See where this leads?”

Bruce looked at him long and hard. It felt like an eternity to Clark as he was waiting for Bruce’s answer. “Yes,” Bruce finally said. 

“Good,” Clark replied on a relieved exhale. “I’m paying.”

Bruce’s lips did that thing that was nearly a smile, and Clark wanted to kiss him, but he didn’t. “Of course you asked me out. Now go shower Clark.”

Clark nodded, better they parted on a good note. Clark didn’t want to give Bruce the chance to think about it and deem it a bad idea after all. 

 

~Six~  
In the days leading up to the date Clark was pretty much obsessing about everything. His hair, his eyes, his body, his clothes, the place he got a reservation. He couldn’t help but wonder how Bruce’s first date with the other Clark had been.  
He knew that it was stupid to wonder. Everything about this situation was different. Or at least mirrored, because in this other relationship Bruce had been the one to know so much about Clark and Clark was the one still discovering things. About Bruce and about himself.  
He wanted to ask more about Bruce’s relationship with the other Clark and he wished to never know another thing about it.  
He and Bruce had become close over the last few months, but Clark wouldn’t say they were friends, it was more like a mentor/ student relationship and Clark knew he needed to change that and soon. He wanted to be Bruce’s equal. A partner Bruce could count and lean on. He wasn’t going to be sidelined once he completed his trainer – even if Bruce always told him that training was never over.  
He sighed and put his head in his hands. 

“I know that this fluff piece isn’t giving you any hardship, Smallville, so what is it?” Lois asked, perching on his desk. He looked at her. 

“I asked him out.” 

“Good,” Lois said. 

“Now I’m freaking out,” Clark replied. 

“Okay-“

“Because for me this is the first date and for him – I don’t even know. He already told me that I’m not the man I have been before, so what if he doesn’t like the man I am now?” 

“He would hardly say yes to a date just to tell you he doesn’t like you and you don’t measure up to the you before.” 

“Do I measure up to the me before?” 

“Clark, it was still you, the difference isn’t that big,” Lois said, earnestly. 

Sometimes the small differences break people apart, Clark thought. “Okay.”

“Stop freaking out. It’s just a first date. You don’t have to follow him home and let him have you against the glass wall.”

Clark looked at her amused. “Have you been thinking about that a lot?” 

She shrugged. “Now and then.” 

Clark wondered if Bruce and he had already once fucked that way. Had Bruce been pressing the other Clark against the glass? Had Clark been looking out at the lake while Bruce’s cock was buried inside him? Would he like that this time around?  
Shit.  
He took a deep breath. It was a first date. That meant he didn’t have to even kiss Bruce. 

“You freaked yourself out, right now, didn’t you?” Lois asked. 

“Yes,” Clark nodded. 

“Don’t stress it. Be yourself, that has always been good enough for me,” Lois said. 

Yeah, Clark thought, until it hadn’t, but that wasn’t fair. They had both been occupied with other things. They just – their relationship had just drifted apart.  
And yes, it had hurt when she had told him that they should take a break and it had hurt after too, but now Clark knew that they were better off as friends. 

“Thank you Lois.”

“You’re welcome, and now finish that fluff piece before Perry comes back from his lunch break and kicks your ass from here to Sunday.” 

Clark smiled. “On it, mam.” 

~+~  
The place Clark chose was a small and quite Japanese restaurant. The food was excellent and the prices affordable. He hoped that Bruce would like it.  
He didn’t pick Bruce up, they decided to meet at the restaurant and Clark was too early by fifteen minutes.  
He knew that there really wasn’t any reason to be nervous – except for all the usual ones.  
Clark was staring at his phone, willing time to go by faster when Bruce said his name.  
Clark’s eyes snapped to Bruce’s face. 

“You’re early,” Clark said. 

Bruce smiled. “How long have you been waiting already?”

“Not long,” Clark answered and was tempted to ask if the other him had been always early as well, but he didn’t. This wasn’t about the other Clark, this was about him. “I was nervous, and figured I could be nervous here instead of at home.” 

Bruce sat down and smiled at Clark. “Really, no need to be nervous. This is hardly your first date ever.”

“It isn’t,” Clark said, “But it is my first date with a man.” 

“Ah,” Bruce said. “If it makes you feel better you can think of it as two friends having dinner.” 

Clark swallowed. “I don’t want to pretend I only want to be friends with you, Bruce. Do you?” 

“No,” Bruce replied. “So, what’s good here?” 

“Pretty much everything,” Clark replied. “Maybe we can share a plate for starters? So you can try a bit of everything?”

“Sounds good,” Bruce replied. 

After their food came the conversation started to flow easily. Maybe there was a symmetry to the universe, Clark thought, maybe he and Bruce were meant to meet and be at least friends if nothing else.  
Obviously they came from different worlds and had a completely different childhood and upbringing, were facing different challenges ,but they still ended up here, at this table. Discussing life and sharing good food. This had to mean something. 

“You sometimes wonder about the other me?” Clark asked, as they were still enjoying a green tea mousse. 

“I do.”

“Do you wonder if he’s sought out the other you?”

“I really hope he did, Clark. In his world I really need a friend, or a lover like him.” 

“Want to tell me about him?”

“Not really, no. I don’t know much about him either, except that he’s a lot angrier than I am,” Bruce admitted. 

“I hope they can make it work somehow.” 

“You are a romantic, aren’t you Clark?” 

“I think I used to be back when I was a kid and later a teenager. My parents loved each other very much and they loved me very much, even if I am not their biological son. And growing up watching them, yeah, I think that’s why I believe in love. Dad wasn’t the first man my mom has been with, you know? She was the only one for him, but she hadn’t been so sure at first. So, I’m not naïve, I know that your first great love doesn’t have to be your last great love. “

”I don’t think you’re naïve, Clark,” Bruce said, finishing his desert. 

It was getting late, but Clark didn’t want to part with Bruce just yet. He paid and got up anyway. 

Once they were outside, Bruce looked up at the sky and smiled. “We should do this again, I had fun Clark.” 

“Yeah,” Clark said, “Me too.” 

~+~  
Bruce invited him to a film premier. Clark had been to a few of those, but only ever as a reporter. And he hadn’t really liked it. The society pages weren’t his thing, but when he started out as a reporter he had to go where Perry was sending him.  
He didn’t want to embarrass Bruce, so he went out to buy at least a new, fitting suit jacket and tie.  
Bruce’s car picked him up. 

“You look good,” Bruce said as Clark opened the car door to get inside. It was a big car, spacious too, but not a limo. For which Clark was grateful. 

“Thank you Bruce, you too,” Clark replied. “I didn’t think you would do something so public. I mean…the last time you were out in public with a male person, was ten years ago.” 

“You looked it up?” 

“Lois looked it up,” Clark answered. “I had thought that you and – me, him, us, - that we were out in public, but it seems you kept it on the down low.” 

“I wanted to make it public, he didn’t. But you don’t care, do you?”

“It’s not that I don’t care, I don’t mind being seen with you, as your date, Bruce,” Clark answered honestly. 

“Good,” Bruce said and then proceeded to tell Clark about the movie and which star and starlet would be at the party.  
It turned out to be a fun night, Bruce was a fantastic danger.  
Again, they didn’t kiss.

~+~  
The fifth date was on Clark again and once they left the restaurant and started walking to Bruce’s car he realized that he really wanted to kiss Bruce. He didn’t understand why Bruce was holding back. He knew Bruce wanted it too.

As Bruce reached for the car door Clark grabbed his arm and spun him around. He pressed Bruce against the car and stepped closer, looked at him. Bruce stared back. Clark wondered if he had taken his time with the other him too, for a brief second before he leaned in. It was an awkward kiss, before Bruce’s fingers curled around Clark’s neck and changed the angle. Then everything clicked and Clark pressed harder into Bruce’s body. He didn’t know if it was his body’s memory of kissing Bruce countless times before or just something about them, and Clark honestly didn’t care. 

“Take me home tonight?” he asked, once they broke the kiss so they could breathe. It shouldn’t have been a question and Clark cursed himself for making it one. 

“Next time,” Bruce said and leaned in again, to kiss Clark gently and carefully this time. 

“Next time?” Clark asked, blinking at Bruce. “Really?” 

Bruce’s lips did that thing again that Clark loved so much, so he leaned in and licked those lips. Bruce’s lisp were very soft, such a contrast to his hard body.  
“Yes, really,” Bruce replied. 

“You want me desperate for you?” Clark wanted to know. It was only half teasing. 

“No, that’s the point, Clark,” Bruce replied. 

Clark sighed. “Should have kissed me on the third date then, it’s tradition I hear.” 

“Some things shouldn’t be rushed,” Bruce said. 

“Fine. Next time. I bet you’re gonna think about me when you jerk off at home.” 

“I always think about you when I jerk off,” Bruce said and Clark had to kiss him again for that.  
They spent another twenty minutes with Bruce pressed against the car, kissing. 

~+~  
“I was thinking,” Clark said, after their weekly training. 

Bruce gave him a look. “About what?” 

It was hard to look away from Bruce, now that kissing was on the table, Clark wanted to do it all the time. “About the Flash.” 

Bruce sighed. “Of course.” 

“You said, the other you had some kind of – league of heroes to help each other out.” 

“Yes, that’s what the other Clark told me.” 

“I already know the Flash and I know you, I think –“

“You don’t even know what you want to be called Clark, isn’t it a bit early to form a league?” Bruce cut in. 

“Do you even want me on the streets?” Clark shot back. 

“That is hardly my decision to make, is it?” Bruce replied. “If you decide to put on a mask and be a hero, then you will put the people you love in danger. You have to know that, Clark.”

“No one will know it’s me,” Clark argued and saw the flow in that argumentation at once. 

Bruce pointed it out to him helpfully anyway, “The people who love you, will know, because you will tell them, the people at Star Labs will know, because you already bonded with them. Those people have family and friends, and they value their loved ones more than they will value your life. How do I know that? Because if I had to give up you or the Flash I would give up the Flash in a second, Clark.”

“Bruce-“

“But I would be a hypocrite if I told you to not go out there and risk your life, because I’m doing it every night for over twenty years now. I just want you to be sure. It took me years of training to become Batman and I’m still learning on the job, Clark.”

Clark stepped into his personal space and touched his forehead to Bruce’s, breathed him in. “I want to help people, I want to trust people, Bruce. That’s who I am, but I get your point. I hear you. I won’t be reckless. It’s not like I have to do it now.” 

Bruce pulled away so he could look at Clark. “No, you don’t have to do it right now. When you’re ready, and if that’s in a year, then that’s okay too.” 

Clark couldn’t believe how far they’ve come in the last few months. Bruce was seeing him as an equal, finally. He respected Clark’s choices. Clark’s fingers slid up Bruce’s body and curled around his neck to pull him in closer, so he could kiss those soft lips again.  
“Thank you,” he said, against Bruce’s lips. 

“You’re welcome,” Bruce replied with a soft laugh in his voice and then he pressed Clark against the nearest wall. 

“You’re really hot when you do that,” Clark said between hard, hot kisses. 

“Do what?” 

“Push me around a bit. I like it,” Clark answered. 

“Yeah?” Bruce said, and kicked Clark’s legs apart so he could press his knee against Clark’s cock, that was getting harder steadily. 

Clark moaned. “Yeah.” 

Bruce’s knee pressed a bit harder against Clark’s cock and Clark reached for Bruce’s sweatpants. “I want-“

“Go ahead,” Bruce said and Clark pushed Bruce’s pants and underwear down to expose his cock. He curled his fingers around it and stroked. By now he knew how Bruce liked it, because they’ve done this before. 

Bruce kissed Clark’s neck and then bit it gently. Clark exposed his neck for more of Bruce’s ministrations and Bruce growled low in his throat. Fuck, Clark thought, but Bruce was hot. 

“Pull out your cock and stroke them together, Clark, I want to feel you spill against me,” Bruce whispered in his ear and Clark's breath hitched, but he did as he was told. Because listening to Bruce’s ideas (or orders) was always a good thing when it came to sex. And Clark was eager to learn everything about sex with Bruce. “That’s it,” Bruce said.

It was Bruce’s voice in those moments, Clark decided as he spilled helpless into his hand and against Bruce’s cock, it was Bruce’s voice that made him hard and shiver and come like it was the last time he would ever come.  
Bruce’s voice was a weapon and he used it well. 

“Shit,” Clark said and then laughed. “That was good.”

“And it will get better and better,” Bruce promised as he kissed Clark gently and then pulled away. 

Clark was sure of it. They were taking it slow, and Clark was enjoying the hell out of it. But he also knew that as soon as he said he was ready for – more, Bruce wouldn’t question it. 

“Shower now,” Clark said. 

“Are you staying tonight?” Bruce asked, as he was halfway to the shower. 

“Yeah,” Clark said. “I am.” 

~Seven~  
The suit was missing something, Clark wasn’t really sure what, but it was definitely missing something. It was tight and blue, with a black cape, and it was beautiful and would protect Clark from all kinds of things, like bullets and knives. It was as good as Bruce could make it, Clark knew that. 

“You’re staring really hard at it,” Bruce said from behind Clark. It always took Clark by surprise how silent and agile Bruce was for such a big man. 

“I feel like something is missing,” Clark said, “right there,” he added, touching his fingertip to the chest plate. 

“Do you only want a symbol because I have one and the Flash has one on his chest?” Bruce asked, stepping closer. 

Was that the reason? “I don’t know?”

“Because the Arrow doesn’t wear a symbol on his chest.” 

“Bruce, he’s the Arrow, he hardly needs to, he uses a bow to fight crime.”

Bruce stepped behind him and put his chin on Clark’s shoulder. “True I guess, he doesn’t need a symbol.”

“Exactly he is the symbol and I don’t want to be settled with a name like the Streak or the Hood. I mean…seriously,” Clark said, laughing. “Those were bad.” 

“They were bad,” Bruce replied. 

“This one doesn’t have a mask,” Clark pointed out. 

“I have more than one design,” Bruce replied. “I want you to feel comfortable while wearing it. I would love for you to wear a cowl of some kind because that protects your head better, but I’m pretty sure you won’t.” 

Clark frowned. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t but how did Bruce know? “The other me didn’t wear one either.” 

“The other you was pretty much indestructible, Clark. He could fly, he was strong, he was fast, his senses were so much better than a humans. He could not be hurt by normal bullets. At least that’s what he told me. He didn’t need a cowl for protection. Hell, he could have been fighting naked and it would be fine.”

“But he was human here.” 

“He was.” 

“Bet that was a shock.”

“He liked it, as far as I can tell. He missed his abilities yes, but he liked being human,” Bruce replied. 

It was rare for Bruce to speak about his time with the other Clark, but Clark was glad Bruce trusted him enough now to be so open.  
“I bet he liked being human with you,” Clark said. 

Bruce kissed his neck. “Yes, I believe that was a big part of it.” He turned Clark around and kissed him properly, Clark knew that Bruce wouldn’t be talking about the other Clark anymore. Which was a shame, because Clark really wanted to know more.  
But maybe not right now, because Bruce’s tongue was in his mouth and his hands were cupping Clark’s ass and Clark liked where this was going. Very much.  
There would be other times, Clark knew, when Bruce would open up about it to him again. Clark had time and he didn’t feel the need to push for more details right now. 

~+~  
Bruce came up with the Batman because he wanted to be feared, which was understandable if you knew Gotham and if you knew Bruce.  
Clark didn’t want to be feared, he like the other him, wanted to be a symbol of hope. Maybe he could borrow the other Clark’s symbol of hope after all. Would that be weird? 

“I’ve been doodling an ‘S’ over the last few days,” Clark admitted as he was staring at the incomplete suit. 

“Well, we can add an ‘S’ to it. Do you want to be Superman?” 

“Would that be weird, as you said on his world it was a symbol of hope?” 

“No,” Bruce said. There was something in his voice that Clark couldn’t quite name, but that he liked very much. “I think you could be a symbol of hope Clark.” 

“The light to your darkness?” Clark teased. 

“Yes,” Bruce answered, but it wasn’t teasing at all. 

Clark swallowed. “Well, let’s try it then. I can fly after all and I am strong and with this I am nearly bulletproof as well,” he said, letting his fingers slide over the material of the suit. 

“Did you decide on a mask?” 

“The blue one,” Clark said. If it were up to him he would like to not wear one, but he knew it was out of the question. He had to protect himself, his life, and the people he loved. 

“Okay,” Bruce said. 

“I will be fine, Bruce. I won’t start hunting down super-villains. I just want to help people. Rescue cats from trees,” he added with a smile. 

“That’s how it starts, you know that. You’ve talked to the Flash. He was rescuing people from fires, car accidents, muggings. At first.” 

“Well, yeah, but I have you,” Clark said and kissed Bruce. 

Bruce sighed. “Clark.”

“I’m hearing you, don’t worry, okay? If something bad should happen I will ask for help. You know I will. And I know you will come and help me, as an aside I also know that the Flash will help me. The guy likes me,” Clark said with a wink. 

“The Flash is way too trusting. His team alone…” Bruce said. 

Clark kissed him again. “It’s a nightmare, isn’t it?” 

“Stop teasing,” Bruce replied. 

“Make me,” Clark said. 

Bruce did. 

~+~  
“Don’t you want me to introduce you to the Flash?” Clark asked a few days later. The suit was done. It fit him like a glove and left pretty much nothing to the imagination. The ‘S’ was a dark stylized affair, different than what Clark had imagined, but it fit the suit to a T. The mask too. It was the second time around he was wearing it in its entity. It was less strange than the first time around. Clark thought he was getting used to it. 

“Not really,” Bruce said, looking at him. “We should test it out here and then in the field.” 

“But, aren’t you curious who he is?” Clark continued. 

Bruce gave him a look. “I know who he is, Clark.”

“Bullshit.” 

Bruce lips did that thing again. Clark grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him into a hard kiss. “What was that for?” 

“I love when your lips do this thing, I want to kiss you senseless then,” Clark admitted. He stepped away and stretched. “Wanna spar?” 

“Sure,” Bruce replied easily. “First hand to hand and then maybe some weapons?” 

Clark didn’t think he would ever want to use any weapons at all, but Bruce was right of course in pointing out that someone else most definitely would.  
He nodded. 

“Tell me if something doesn’t feel right with the suit or mask, so we can fix it. I want you to be comfortable and able to move as best as you can,” Bruce said. 

“Okay,” Clark replied and was attacked a second later. It was only the month-long training that made him react. It was instinct by now or maybe muscle memory, in any case it was good, but Bruce wasn’t pulling his punches right now. Probably because he wanted to test the suit as well. Clark was looking forward to having Bruce examine his body later.  
But right now he needed to get his head back into the game, because if he didn’t Bruce would whip the floor with Clark’s ass.  
Clark blocked one of Bruce’s kicks and Bruce smiled which distracted Clark just long enough for Bruce to twist out of Clark’s hold and kick his feet out from under him. 

“Distracted by a pretty face, Clark.” Bruce chided. 

“Distracted by your face,” Clark replied. “Won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t,” Bruce said and then punched him. He did pull that one because it was aimed at Clark’s face. “Distracted by banter. Don’t think villains won’t talk. Some of them love to talk.” 

“Shit,” Clark replied. “Thanks for sparing my face.” 

“Use your strengths, Clark. That’s why you have them,” Bruce reminded him. 

Clark nodded, he knew he was still relying too much on hand to hand combat and his strength, but didn’t use the flying when he was fighting. It didn’t come naturally in a fight to him. He knew he had to work on that.  
He blocked the next punch easily, but knew that he wouldn’t be able to surprise Bruce again. Bruce learned every weakness he could and used it against you. That was why it was so good to train with him. Clark saw his own weaknesses, and knew how to handle them. 

Once they were done he looked at Bruce, sweaty, scarred and beautiful Bruce and felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest.

“How was it?” Bruce asked. 

Clark blinked at him. “The suit?” 

“Yes, Clark, the suit. It looked okay from where I stand, but you’re wearing it.” 

Clark stretched, cataloging his pains and aches, there weren’t that many. Most of the punches had been absorbed by the suit. “I feel fine. I can move fine too, I think.” 

“You held your own well,” Bruce replied. “But I think you should also spar against someone else. Maybe the Flash, next time you’re in Central?” 

“As we’re on the topic again,” Clark said. “Who do you believe the Flash is?” 

“Speculation is for the press, Clark. I know who he is.” 

“Bruce-“

Bruce sighed. “Barry Allen is the Flash.”

“You haven’t even met him or been to Central.” 

“I’ve been to Central City on business, Clark. But I also make it my business to keep an eye on people with unusual abilities.” 

“In case they go rogue?” Clark asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Wait, do you have a database of these people? With their secret identities and all?” 

Bruce nodded. “Yes. I can’t be sure I know about all of them, but I know about those that are active in one way or another. The world is changing Clark and I like to be prepared for it.” 

“But you will keep their identities a secret, even from me?” 

“Yes,” Bruce said and Clark kissed him for that. It was this, those principles that made Clark love Bruce even more. 

“Let’s get naked and into the shower. I like your shower, Bruce,” Clark said. 

Bruce groaned and started to strip. Hot shower sex was the best way to end a training session. 

~+~  
“So, Cape Guy,” Lois said, perching on Clark’s desk on Monday morning. Clark had known that his first public appearance would stir some things up. There weren’t that many pictures of him and most of them were blurry thank god, but Lois was on it like a dog with a bone anyway. It had been a fire and people had been trapped, so Clark flew up there and helped as best he could. 

“Please don’t call him Cape Guy,” Clark said. 

Lois grinned. “I won’t make the same mistake Iris West did, Clark. I am a professional.” 

“I know you are,” Clark said. 

“It’s a shame most of the pictures are blurry, but I talked to a witness and she said the thing on his chest,” here she shoved her phone at his face, “looks like an ‘S’. So I was thinking, Superman.” 

Clark nearly choked on the sip of coffee he had just taken. Some things, he thought wryly, were apparently just meant to be. 

“What do you think, Clark? If you were this guy, would you want to go by Superman?”

“Yeah, I think I would, Lois.” 

“Great because I already wrote an article about it. It’s front page news,” she replied. 

“Do you ever sleep?” 

She grinned. “You know I do.” 

“So, you’re happy, now that you finally have your own hero in the city?” Clark teased. 

“Look at him. He looks like a young god,” Lois replied. “Of course and he seems a decent guy too.” She looked down at her phone and smiled. “I’m looking forward to my first exclusive with him.” 

“Who says he will talk to you?” Clark asked. 

“I have a feeling he will. I’m sure he wants the best and Clark, everyone knows I am the best.”  
Clark could hardly argue with that. 

~+~  
“First lives saved,” Bruce said that evening as soon as Clark opened the door. Bruce was early and Clark was only half dressed and barefoot too. “How does it feel?” 

“Great, but you know that of course. Funny thing,” he added as he stepped aside to let Bruce in, Bruce who had brought flowers, “Lois named him Superman.” 

“You, you mean,” Bruce said, kissing Clark’s cheek and pushing the flowers at him. 

“Me I mean, yes. These are beautiful thank you.” 

Bruce smiled. “You are dressed to impress I see.” 

“You like it? I know you do,” Clark replied. He went to the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers and then put them on the table. No roses, Clark liked them very much indeed. “I took the liberty to order in. You are overdressed.” 

Bruce took off his jacket slowly and then he loosened his tie. Clark was mesmerized by the movements of his fingers. “Better?”

“On the way there,” Clark said, leaning against the kitchen counter and curling his fingers against the edge of the wood. 

Bruce put the jacket over the chair and added the tie, then he took of his shoes and socks. “How about now?”

“I think you like to tease, Mister Wayne,” Clark replied. 

“Maybe I like you to tell me what to do?” Bruce said. 

Clark swallowed. “In that case, maybe you should take off the expensive dress shirt as well.” 

Bruce did exactly that, but he did it very, very slowly. Once it was added to the other clothes on the chair he coked an eyebrow at Clark. “When will the food be here?” 

“Any minute I imagine, but maybe we can eat after.” 

“After what?” Bruce asked teasingly. 

“After you fucked me senseless, I imagine.” 

Bruce looked at him sharply. “Is this just a –“

“No,” Clark cut in, “I mean it exactly like I said it.” And he did too, because he knew that if he should change his mind in the middle of it, Bruce would stop and they would just get off in one of the other countless pleasurably ways they discovered over the last few weeks.

Bruce was about to say something, but the bell interrupted the moment. Clark uncurled from his position against the counter and opened the door. He had ordered Indian. He paid and put the cartons on the kitchen table. It smelled delicious, but Bruce was reaching for him as soon as the food was safely on the table. He kissed Clark and pulled him into the direction of the bedroom. 

“Good,” Bruce said, pushing Clark against the bedroom wall and devouring his mouth. Clark clutched at Bruce’s t-shirt, pulling him closer, needing to feel more of Bruce, more skin, more fiction. He was only in his sweatpants and hadn’t even bothered with underwear and he was sure that Bruce could feel that too.  
Clark was tearing at Bruce’s clothes, so Bruce kissed him again and then stepped away to get rid of the rest of his clothes. He threw them on the chair in the corner and was back in a matter of seconds: all that glorious naked skin pressed against Clark. “Why didn’t you take of your clothes Clark as I was taking off mine?” 

The honest answer would be, because he could barely think with Bruce naked and close like that. “I want you to take them off,” he said instead, because that was an honest answer as well. 

Bruce kissed his neck and then let his hands slide over Clark’s sides, taking the fabric of his shirt with him, he guided Clark’s arms upwards gently and then stripped him of the shirt, flinging it at the chair that already held his own clothes. He kissed down Clark’s neck and chest and hips. Clark’s cock was straining. Bruce looked up at him. 

“Suck it,” Clark said, because really all he needed now were Bruce’s lips on his cock.  
Bruce sank to his knees and pulled Clark’s sweatpants down. He kissed the side of Clark’s cock and Clark swore softly.  
“No teasing, Bruce,” Clark said. “Just suck it the way I like it.” 

“You want to come?” 

“Yeah,” Clark said. 

Bruce hummed and went to work. His mouth was warm and wet and his tongue did all these amazing things to Clark, it was exactly what he needed to take the edge off.  
He buried his fingers in Bruce’s soft hair and just felt, it didn’t take that long for him to spill into Bruce’s mouth. After all Bruce knew all the buttons to push. 

Bruce leaned his head against Clark’s thigh and Clark stroked his hair. “You’re amazing.” 

Bruce laughed. “Glad you enjoyed yourself.” 

“We’re not done yet, Bruce,” Clark said. “Just give me a second to catch my breath and then we’ll go over to the bed, so you can fuck me senseless.” 

Bruce kissed his stomach and then stood up. “It will be my pleasure.”  
Clark had to kiss him for that again. 

He was feeling warm and relaxed as Bruce pushed him onto the bed. For a brief second he wondered how the other Clark and Bruce had fucked for the first time, but then Bruce covered Clark’s eyes with his hand and kissed his lips gently. It had the desired effect, Clark thought, because all thoughts about anything but this flew his mind. 

“Like this?” Bruce asked. 

“Yeah,” Clark answered. “I want to see your face.” He grabbed Bruce’s wrist and pulled his hand from his eyes. Bruce was looking at him and Clark felt more than naked, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. Not at all. 

Bruce stroked a fingertip over Clark’s lips and then his yaw, his neck, the middle of his chest and down to his navel and then he just stopped and reached for the lube and condoms in the nightstand. Clark had been inside Bruce before, more than once and Bruce felt incredible around his cock, and now was the time, he decided to feel it the other way around.  
Bruce didn’t say anything as he sat up and opened the lube, he guided Clark gently to where and how he needed him and then started teasing at Clark’s entrance. Clark opened his legs wider on sheer instinct. They’ve done this part before too and it always felt good. His cock thought so too, because he was getting hard again. He didn’t know if this was a side effect of the new abilities and the metabolism that came with it, but he wasn’t complaining about it and neither was Bruce.  
The first finger wasn’t much of a stretch and neither was the second. Clark felt it when Bruce inserted a third, after what felt like hours to Clark. He was fully hard now and leaking and all he wanted was for Bruce to fill him up and make him come.  
He was ready, what the hell was Bruce waiting for? 

He looked at Bruce and Bruce was looking back at him and Clark called himself an idiot silently. Of course Bruce was waiting – for Clark to tell him to get on with it. “Yeah, okay.”

“Yeah, okay?” Bruce asked amused. 

Clark took a breath and then moaned because Bruce stroked his sweet spot. He took another breath, fingers bunching the sheets. “Get your cock in me!” he hissed. 

Bruce leaned down and kissed his stomach, brushing his cock in the process and Clark groaned. Bruce would be the death of him.  
“My pleasure,” Bruce said and a moment later Clark heard the tearing of a condom wrapper. 

He didn’t have time to panic or second guess, because Bruce’s fingers were still inside him, keeping him open and on the edge and then they were gone and being replaced with Bruce’s cock, which, yes was bigger, but it didn’t hurt at all. It felt strange, but good too. 

“Okay?” Bruce asked. 

“Yeah,” Clark said, “You can move.” 

Bruce didn’t need to be told twice. He was good at this, Clark noted, no fumbling, all confidence. Soon Clark was moaning and meeting Bruce’s trusts, clutching at Bruce’s arms and back. He needed Bruce closer, deeper, harder and Bruce gave it to him.  
Clark was close, but he wanted it to last longer, so he didn’t touch himself. 

“You’re close, I can tell. I want you to come first, Clark, because it feels amazing around my cock,” Bruce said into his ear, and reached between them to stroke Clark’s cock. It didn’t took much for Clark to spill between them.

Bruce moaned loudly as Clark’s body clenched around his cock and once Clark relaxed Bruce abandoned all control and selfishly fucked Clark into the mattress until he came. Bruce looked positively tortured as he came. It made Clark’s heart skip a beat, he reached out and pulled Bruce against his chest: cradled him close, felt his heartbeat against his own. He stroked Bruce’s broad back as they calmed down.  
Bruce kissed him and then got rid of the condom before collapsing against Clark’s side again. 

“Definitely doing that again,” Clark said into the comfortable silence. 

Bruce smiled. In that moment Clark knew he would die a happy man if he could make Bruce smile like that from time to time for the rest of their lives. 

~+~  
“We’re on page six,” Clark said a week later, as they were having breakfast at Bruce’s window display house. The Lakehouse was growing on Clark. He had to admit it. He liked how the sun streamed through the windows and how warm it was, how the lake glittered outside. 

“You’re on page one,” Bruce replied. 

Clark shrugged. “Superman is on page on. We are on page six.” He smiled at Bruce. “I think that’s far more important.”

“You’re going to frame that, aren’t you?” Bruce asked, mock suffering. 

“Yes, of course. You called me your partner. We are an item now. Not friends, not casually dating, you and me are a we, an us in the eyes of the public. Of course I am going to frame it,” Clark replied. It was a declaration of love and Clark would hold it dear. After all they have been through, Clark was of the opinion that they deserved their happy ending.  
Bruce leaned over the table and grabbed him by the neck to pull him into a kiss. That kiss said that Bruce was agreeing with Clark.  
Clark was sure that whatever life was going to throw at them, they would master.  
Together, in whatever way or universe.


End file.
